Flash-light bag



GHA. LEY.

FLASH LIGHT BAG. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. 1918. RENEWED JULY 13. 1920.

1 350, 7 3O Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

l 2 SHEETS-SHEET INVENTOI? Geogfie jiley A TTOR/VEYS G. A. LEY.

FLASH LIGHT BAG.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1918- RENEWED IULY13. 1920.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

,4 TTORNEYS INVENTOR Geo rye 71.113

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

GEORGE ALBERT LEY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLASH-LIGHT BAG.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A119,. 24, 1920.

Application filed March 11, 1918, Serial No. 221,822. Renewed July 13, 1920. Serial No. 395,994.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE A. LEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flash-Light Bags, oi which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in flashlight bags, and it consists in the con structions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a flashlight bag including as one of the important features, a connecting link between the lower end of the shank and the-staii, adapted to be moved past the dead center and automatically hold the bag in the open position.

l'inother object of the invention is to provide a flashlight bag including a supporting staff running from the crown of the bag to the lower ends of the bottom ribs inside of the thereby keeping the flash which is created in the flash pan supported on the staff, a safe distance from the bag.

znother object of the invention is to provide a solid and reversible bag coupling by means of which the bag may be supported in either one of two positions and the change in the positions may be Quickly made.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a flashlight bag havingnovel means for emptying the smoke, said means 1ncluda flap normally covering a smoke openin at the bottom, the flap falling back automatically to uncover the opening when the bag is turned over.

Another object of the invention resides in an improved form of the flash pan and support therefor.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawin which: I

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the ashlight bag in the elevated position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the flashlight bag in the lower position.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing a portion of the frame work.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the reversible bag coupling.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the flashlight bag frame.

Fig. 6 is aperspective view showing the position of the connecting links.

in; the staff in this manner.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the flash pan holder showing the pan in place.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a cross section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

The herein disclosed invention is primarily an improvement on my Patent No. 1,198,361, granted Sept. 12, 1916, and embodies certain refinements developedin the use of the flashlight bag. Certain features will be recognized to be substantially the same in the construction of the flashlight bag in both cases, but the description of the improved bag will be proceeded with from the beginning.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 5, it will be observed that the hood 1 consisting of an opaque fabric, rubberized white on the inside to provide an eflicient reflecting surface, is stretched over the ribs 2 which support the bag. The ends of the ribs 2 are bounded by a cord or wire 3, and a translucent screen of white fire-proof fabric is stretched over the wire or cord and closes the frontend of the bag.

The bag is adapted to hold the smoke of several. charges or flashes, and the smoke is discharged through an opening 4 near the bottom of the bag when the bag is turned upside down. The opening 4 is closed by a flap 5 which is sewed in place at 6 at the top, the flap normally closes the opening 4 when the bag is in the upright position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. When the bag is turned over to release the smoke, the flap 5 automatically falls back and uncovers the opening.

Running from a point in alinemcnt with the lower ends of the bottom ribs to the crown of the bag, is a staii 7 The staff 7 is made in two parts and constructed of square tubing. There are several purposes in mak- One of the purposes is to provide a means for connecting the flash pan holder 8 in place in the middle of the stafl. The flash pan holder will be described in detail later on. An.- other purpose is, to effect an attachment of the bag on the supporting standard through the medium of a reversible coupling.

Turning of the staff and consequently the rocking of the flashlight bag, is prevented by the square staff and the square connections thereto. The reversible coupling just referred to, is a metallic bar bent in the middle and the respective portions disposed at angles withrespect to each other. The upper portion of the reversible coupling is square as at 9 and fits into the square tubing of the staff 7.

The lower portion of the reversible cou pling is round as at 10, and this portion fits into one of a plurality of telescopic members 11 which constitute the standard upon which the flashlight bag is supported. The respective 'members are held in position by clamp screws 12 which are clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. A shoulder 13 in the middle of 'thereversible coupling, serves as an abutnot bear against the round shank 10 of the reversible coupling, but rather on one of the telescopic members of the standard n which the reversible coupling is revolubly mounted by reason of the round shank 10. In order to keep the shank 10 from turning in the standard, the upper tube of the standard has apin 11 over which a slot 10 in the shank 1O fits. The shank 10 is made of square tubing in the event that the membersof the standard are also square;

The upper end of the staff 7 is pivoted to a slidable collar 14 on a shank 16 located at the crown of the, bag. The upper ends of the ribs 2 are secured to a wire 15 applied and fastened in a peripheral groove in the slidable collar. The wire 15 forms the pivot for the ribs, the ends of which work in slots cut infrom the edge ofthe collar. In this respect,wthe mounting of the ribs is very much like that of. the ordinary umbrella ribsl I position. The connecting linkis pivotally mountedin the ears of a clip'20'seeu'redto the staff '7. The other end ofthe link is.

Braces 17 are pivotally secured at one end to a brace collar 18 secured on the lower end of the shank 16. The brace collar 18 arranged similarly to the slidable collar 15, in

that it has a peripheral groove for receiving a pivot wire, and slots cut in from the edge to. receive or accommodate the ends of the braces 17. The outer ends of the braces 17 are. pivoted in clips-in turn secured to the respective ribs, as shown inFig. 5'.

A, connecting link 19 works between the brace collar 18 and the staff 7. The connecting link 19 holds the-hood in the open a j ustments.

which it is handled.

pivotally secured to the same wire to which the braces 17 are fastened on the brace collar 18. The'latter end of the connecting link 19 is moved past the dead center in opening the bag, and thus forms a brace for holding the bag open so that there can be no danger of the bagsuddenly collapsing at a critical moment.

Tired to the grooved sleeveof the collars 15 and 18 is a fabric cover 21 which envelops the shank 16. The fabric cover 21 prevents corrosion of'the shank 16 by the smoke in the bag. The cover 21 collapses when the collars 15 and 18 are moved together in closing the bag, and stretches to cover the shank as shown in Fig. 5, when the bag is opened. Incidentally it will be observed in Fig. 6, that the shank. 16 is made in two parts, screwed together, so that theshank may be taken apart in packing the bag for shipment.

A knob 22 is secured on top of the shank 16, and a finger grip 23 is formed on the slidable collar 1%. The flashlight bag is opened and closed by means of the button 22 and the finger grip 23, both being exposed on the outside, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. i

Formed in the back of the bag is a recess 2% through which access to the flash pan holder 8, previously referred to, is had.

The recess 24 is in the nature of a hand hole into which the operator reaches to insert the flashpans. and make any necessary ad- ConsiderFig. 7. Here it will be seen that the flash pan holder 8 has a peripheral groove 25 in which the cloth of the hash bag and more particularly that portion of the cloth forming the recess 24:, is secured.

The flash pan holder 8 has a central opening 26thr0ugh which the flash pan 27 is inserted. The flash pan has a knob by The back of the flash pan 2'? is longer than the opening 26 and the extended portions of theflash pan 2'? indicated 28 in Fig. 9, rest in recesses 29 formed adjacent-to the lateral extremities of the, opening 26.

Securedto'the flash pan holder 8 and covering a portion of the opening 26, is a pan retaining plate 30, the upper edge of which abuts the lower portion of the flash pan 2? as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8.. The retaining plate 30 is secured in position by the bolt 31 of bindingv screws 32, which are insulated' from the metallic portions of the flash pan holder 8 and the plate 30, by the insulating sleeves 33. The bolt 31 connects with contactplates 34 which are also insulated from the metallic flash pan holder 8, and are'adapte d to engage the contact 35 carried by the flash pan 27;

' Pressing against the knob of the flash pan 2?, is a trap door 36. The trap door is adapted to. close the opening 26 when there connections whatever.

is no flash pan in position. The trap door has a knob by means of which it is opened. A spring 3 is included in the hinge 38 of the trap door, and tends to normally close the trap door. The tension of the spring 37 also causes the trap door to bear against the flash pan and keep it in position.

Secured in the bottom portion of the flash pan holder 8, is a pair of binding posts 39 which are insulated from the holder 8 and are in common electrical connection with a pole piece l0 on the back. The various biiniing posts and 39 are employed in completing the electric circuit connections to the spring fingers 4:1 of the flash pan 27. The lingers ll bear against a fuse 42 which is visible through the opening 4C3 in the bottom of the flash pan, and ignites the flash powder on the heating of the fuse 42.

Consider 8. Here thecircuit connections are illustrated. If it be desired to ply lire one flash pan, the wires l i and connected in series with the spring fingers 41 through the binding posts 32. If it be desired to fire a number of flash bags, the

wires are connected as indicated in dotted lines. This is also a series connection, it having been found in practice, that the charges are fired better by connecting the pans in series as illustrated.

This featureleads to the consideration of an important point in the arrangement of the flash pan and holder. It will be observed that the flash pan 27 has no wire The wire connections are made solely to the flash pan as clearly illustrated in Fig. 8. Obviously the 1 anta e of this arrangement is, that the sh pan may be readily inserted in position where it is held by the spring pressed trap door 36, and the annoyance of connecting and disconnecting wires to make the proper connections, is entirely overcome.

the arrangement just described and illustrated in Fig. 8, as many units may be added as may be found'necessary, as in photographing large groups, banquets, fac tories, etc. This arrangement also embodies another improvement in that several of the flash pans with the fuses, may be tested one after the other by simply placing the bottom of the flash pan against the two termil or bimling posts 32, it being unnecessary to detach any of the wires to do this. Also, it is unnecessary to put the flash pan in the bag first before the test can be-made. The ability to test the flash pan from the outside. is an advantage of no little importance in that it makes for speed, which is essential in work-of this kind.

rojectin in opposite directions from the upper and lower edges of the flash pan ho der 8, square stems 4-6 which are slipped into the ends of the square staff 7. The connection between the stems d6 and the staff member is tight enough to hold the parts together under normal conditions. These parts may readily be taken apart when it is desired to pack the flash bag for storage or for transportation.

A proof light 4-? i remo ably mounted on a plug l8 secured on the lower stall member with electrical connections to the plug 49. The testing apparatus designated and mounted on the standard 11. as shown in Figs. land 2,cooperates with the flash pan 27 in testing the fuse 42 before the flash powder is fired. This testing apparatus, however, does notenter directly in cooperation with the structural features of the flashlight bag in the present instance, and for this reason, needs no further consideration.

.The operation of the flashlight bag i thought to be fully understood from the foregoing description, a brief review thereof including the various advantages, may however be of value. The flashlight bag is opened by pulling the finger grip 23 on the slidable collar 14:, toward the button 22 of the shank 16. This has the effect of pushing the b ace collar 18 away from the slidable collar 1%, in which action the hood is opened. The connecting link 19 will presently move past the dead center of its pivotal mounting in the clip 20 on the staff 7, and when the end of the connecting link 19, that is to say the end attached to the brace collar 18, moves below the dead center, the hood is automatically held open by the links 19 which then act as a brace.

It is essential that the connecting links 19 be embodied in the hood. hen the hood is once opened in readiness for use, it must remain so and there must be no danger of the hood collapsing. The connecting link 19 absolutely overcomes any tendency of the hood to collapsing.

A number of charges of flash power may be fired in the same bag before it becomes necessary to empty the The smoke cannot ordinarily escape because the front of the hood is closed by the translucent screen hereinbefore referred to. The smoke is adapted to escape through an opening 4 near the bottom of the bag. This opening is normally closed by a flap 5 which is sewn across the opening at the top, and of course lies across the opening to close it. \Vhen the bag is turned over, the flap L automatically falls back, uncovering the opening so that the smoke may escape.

Different positions of the flashlight bag are obtained by means of the reversible coupling illustrated in Fig. 4. This coupling may he turned around in two positions to obtain the adjustments of the bag illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The slidable collar 14: is prevented from F-iticking on the shank 16 by means of the cover 21 secured to the collar 18 and to the collar 14:.

.While the construction and arrangement of the flashli ht bag and its cooperating parts, is that 01 a generally preferred form, obviously, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the claims.

, Iclaim:

1. In a flashlight bag, a hood supporting staff, a shank, a collar slidable on the shank and having a pivotal connection to the staff, ribs radiating from the slidable collar, a brace collar affixed to the lower end of the shank, braces radiating from said collar and pivotally connected to the respective ones of the ribs, and a connecting link pivotally secured between the brace collar and the staff, adapted to be moved past the dead center when the hood is opened, to retain the hood in the open position. i

2. In a flashlight bag, the combination of the supporting staff, a shank, a member slidableon the shank and having a pivotal con nection to the end of the staff, ribs pivotally secured to the slidable member, a brace col-- lar affixed to the end of the shank, braces pivotally secured'to the brace collar and the respective ones of the ribs, means for moving the slidable collar on the shank, and means disposed between the shank and the staff, adapted .to hold the flashlight bag open when moved'to the open position.

3. A flashlightbag comprising a hood having a hand hole with a flap closing the hole when the hood is upright and adapted -andhaving a hand hole, a flap covering the hole when the hood is upright and falling back when the hood is inverted, ribs radiatingfrom the crown, and means arranged to be pulled outwardly from the crown to collapse the ribs and hood, maln'ng room for the screen to fold in and automatically expel'the smoke out of the hand hole, said means comprising braces attached to the ribsandan actuating shank connected to the braces.

' 5. A coupling between the standard and hood staff of a flashlight bag, comprising a bent-bar with a standard fitting portion withmeans for keeping it from turning when fitted, a staff fitting portion inclined at a slight angle and non-circular to prevent turning, and an abutting shoulder at the bentplace.

6, In a flashlight bag,;;a coupling for a standard and hood staff, consisting of a onepiece bar bent to form portions at angles to each other, said portions being respectively insertible in the staff and standard in different positions to accordingly obtain different degrees of inclination of the staff and hood, and a shoulder formed in the coupling at the juncture of the bends to abut the ends of the standard and staff.

In a flashlight bag, the combination of the shank, a brace collar affixed to one extremity of the shank, a rib supporting collar slidable back and forth on the shank in opening and closing the bag, and means disposed between said collars and encircling the shank to prevent the smoke reaching the shank and causing the sticking of the slidable collar.

8. In a flashlight bag, a hood including ribs, a shank, a brace collar afliXed to one extremity of the shank, a grooved sleeve on the collar, aslidable'collar on the shank providing a pivotal mounting for the ends of the ribs, a grooved sleeve on the slidable collar, and a flexible cover inclosing the shank between said sleeve and secured in the groove of said sleeve.

9. Ina flashlight bag, a standard with a pin, a hood, a staff including two tubular members non-circular in cross section, a reversible coupling having a non-circular portion fitting in the lower staff member, and

a portion havin a slot fittin over the in.

in the standard, the upper portion of the staffbeing connected to the hood, and connecting meansinside of the hood for the two-partstaff, including aflash pan holder having non-circular stems fitting into the respective upper and lower staff portions.

10. In a flashlight bag, a hood having a hand hole, a flash pan holder situated at the base of the hand hole and provided with a peripheral groove to receive the cloth bounding the hand hole, the flash pan holder having an opening, a flash pan insertible in said opening and closing the opening when inserted, and means for holding the flash pan in position. llyIn a flashlight bag, a hood having a hand'hole extending into the hood, a staff inside of the hood consisting of two parts, a flash pan holder having an opening in the middle with a peripheral groove to receive the fabric bounding the hand hole, stems carried by the flash pan holder inserted in the members of the staff, a flash pan retaining plate partly closing the opening and 6X tendingfrom side to side, a flash pan being adapted to be inserted in the opening and extend beyond the opening at the side and beneath the edge ofsaid retaining plate to completely close-the opening, electrical contacts carried by the holder and the flash pan, said contacts establishing electrical communication when the flash pan is in place, and a spring pressed trap door normally closing the flash pan holder opening but engaging the flash pan when in position to hold it in place.

12. A flashlight bag, comprising an inclined hood, a collar located in the crown of the hood, ribs radiating from the collar to support the hood and defining a rectangular front face, a staff inclined to the back of the hood, of two parts, of which one is attached to the collar and the other reaches to a point in line with the lower 13. A flashlight bag comprising a hollow staff section, a stage connector plug scoured to the staff section and having flexible wires leading through the hollow section and terminating in a connector plug, and a proof light with a socket adapted to be fitted on the same connector, said socket wiping accumulations of dust on being fitted in position on the stage connector, to 25 insure clean contact.

GEORGE ALBERT LEY.

Witnesses ROBERT E. JoHNsoN, ALFRED Ronnn'rs. 

